The Newsroom

Alastair Stewart to leave ITV News.

(January 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
MA
Markymark
London Lite posted:
Popbitch on Al.

Quote:


It's genuinely quite astonishing that a bad tweet may be the thing that ends up derailing Alastair Stewart's illustrious innings at ITV News – but not for the reasons that hysterical pundits are giving.

Until he drastically changed his lifestyle in 2004 (after a second drink-driving offence where he rammed his car into a telegraph pole on his way home with a Chinese takeaway) tales of Alastair's hell-raising were legendary in the industry.

At London Tonight in the 90s, it wasn't unheard of that he would have to be locked in his dressing room because he was too hammered to read the news at all, let alone on camera.

And on one overseas trip, he got so wrecked at dinner he spent the entire journey back to his hotel vomiting. One of the crew with him was an old roadie who claimed he hadn't seen anyone that **** since his days touring with Joe Cocker in the 60s "...and he had an arm full of heroin."


I was working at LNN the same time as he was, as I said previously, he had larger than life personality, but I don't recall anything as extreme as the article claims. I do remember the telegraph pole and takeaway incident though!
VM
VMPhil
Markymark posted:
London Lite posted:
Popbitch on Al.

Quote:


It's genuinely quite astonishing that a bad tweet may be the thing that ends up derailing Alastair Stewart's illustrious innings at ITV News – but not for the reasons that hysterical pundits are giving.

Until he drastically changed his lifestyle in 2004 (after a second drink-driving offence where he rammed his car into a telegraph pole on his way home with a Chinese takeaway) tales of Alastair's hell-raising were legendary in the industry.

At London Tonight in the 90s, it wasn't unheard of that he would have to be locked in his dressing room because he was too hammered to read the news at all, let alone on camera.

And on one overseas trip, he got so wrecked at dinner he spent the entire journey back to his hotel vomiting. One of the crew with him was an old roadie who claimed he hadn't seen anyone that **** since his days touring with Joe Cocker in the 60s "...and he had an arm full of heroin."


I was working at LNN the same time as he was, as I said previously, he had larger than life personality, but I don't recall anything as extreme as the article claims. I do remember the telegraph pole and takeaway incident though!

Could that possibly be down to the fact that it actually happened and the other stories were made up by a bitter former colleague?


Even if they were based in truth, given that Popbitch themselves say he ‘changed his ways’ after his arrest, and the incident in question was fifteen years ago, I really fail to see the relevance of it to this story.
MA
Markymark
VMPhil posted:
Markymark posted:


I was working at LNN the same time as he was, as I said previously, he had larger than life personality, but I don't recall anything as extreme as the article claims. I do remember the telegraph pole and takeaway incident though!

Could that possibly be down to the fact that it actually happened and the other stories were made up by a bitter former colleague?


Even if they were based in truth, given that Popbitch themselves say he ‘changed his ways’ after his arrest, and the incident in question was fifteen years ago, I really fail to see the relevance of it to this story.


Stories I've heard from older colleagues is that in the 70s and 80s at ITN he was often draughted in at very short notice to replace other newscasters that had become a bit too 'tired and emotional'!
Last edited by Markymark on 30 January 2020 5:59pm
bilky asko, London Lite and VMPhil gave kudos
HC
Hatton Cross
Markymark posted:


I was working at LNN the same time as he was, as I said previously, he had larger than life personality, but I don't recall anything as extreme as the article claims. I do remember the telegraph pole and takeaway incident though!


Yes. The car accident. Wasn't very good from the then host of Police Camera Action..
:-(
A former member
The member requested removal of this post
LU
Luke
Night Thoughts posted:
If you're someone with a 40-year career at the top of television, what on earth are you doing getting into a public row with someone nobody's heard of? And then doing it in such a way that causes needless (if accidental) offence to that person?


this is exactly right. Big fan of Alastair's on screen style - and have no idea if it was the 'ape' tweet as ITN are remaining so silent - but this was coming for him. Far too many Twitter rows and he took recently to lecturing and quote tweeting other younger journalists about partiality, so this is also very ironic.
CA
Cando
WW
WW Update
The saddest part of this is that people are now abusing Martin Shapland, the victim of Stewart's unprofessional behavior.
LL
London Lite Founding member
The main thing I got from Alistair's Twitter was his continued passion for broadcast news and supporting his colleagues on ITV News.
Markymark and Brekkie gave kudos
BR
Brekkie
Cando posted:

ITN coming across really badly in this - just no need for that statement. I've followed him on Twitter for years and never seen anything questionable.
LL
Larry the Loafer
As I type this, the petition to reinstate him is nearly at 38,000 signatures. I really hope this amounts to something positive.
RN
Rolling News
Alastair was always one of the most passionate about his job, as evidenced here:

Newer posts